UWM to host state championship for student-built robots

MILWAUKEE _ Hundreds of students from 24 Wisconsin schools will bring their robots to compete Feb. 5 -6 on the UW-Milwaukee campus in the FIRST Tech Challenge 2016 State Championship, hosted by the College of Engineering & Applied Science.

FIRST means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

Students in grades 7-12 build and compete with their own team robots in the sports-format competition. This event is free and open to the public.

FIRST is an internationally recognized program in which students gain hands-on experience to expand their learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, often referred to as STEM.

Student teams design, build and program their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of innovation and engineering, as well as competition.

The FIRST Tech Challenge 2016 State Championship is a culmination of months of work, leading to three qualifying events. At least half of the schools participating are in the state championship for the first time.

Three Wisconsin student teams will qualify for “super regionals” competition in Iowa. The World Championship will be in St. Louis, Missouri, in the spring.

Hear UWM computer science student Dan Feldmantalk about his experience in the World Championship and why he chose UWM.

About UWM

As Wisconsin’s only public urban research university, UW-Milwaukee has established an international reputation for excellence in research, community engagement, teaching and entrepreneurism. On a budget of $667 million, UW-Milwaukee educates more than 27,000 students and is an engine for innovation in southeastern Wisconsin. Its economic impact is more than $1.5 billion per year in Wisconsin alone. The Princeton Review named UWM a “2016 Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.